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Story highlights
- Army chaplain performed same-sex ceremony in Fort Polk chapel, Rep. John Fleming says
- "The liberal social experiment with our military continues," Fleming says
- Military personnel can use facilities without regard to orientation, group says
A same-sex ceremony between an enlisted woman and a civilian woman on a U.S. Army post last month drew protests from lawmakers Thursday.
The "private religious ceremony" took place at Fort Polk in Louisiana in May, post spokesman Scott Stearns said, but he would confirm few other details.
Rep. John Fleming, a Louisiana Republican whose congressional district includes the Army post, said the military confirmed to him that the same-sex ceremony was performed by an Army chaplain in the chapel.
The incident was an inevitable consequence of the end of the don't ask, don't tell policy in September, which previously banned homosexuals from military service, Fleming said.
"The liberal social experiment with our military continues," Fleming said. "A same-sex marriage-like ceremony should not have occurred at Fort Polk, especially since the people of Louisiana have made it abundantly clear that our state does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions."
Rep. Todd Akin, a Missouri Republican whose office said has been working "to protect traditional marriage on military bases," said the ceremony was "clearly in contravention of state law and also violates the Defense Department policies issued last fall."
"It is very concerning that a same-sex ceremony would occur on a military base in a state where the definition of marriage has been clearly defined as between one man and one woman," Akin said.
Military personnel can reserve post facilities for private events such as weddings or other ceremonies, Human Rights Campaign spokesman Charles Joughin said.
"The sexual orientation of those involved in a private event shouldn't have any relevance to whether or not people can access facilities that are open to everyone," Joughin said.
Fleming and Akin both called for the passage of legislation that prevents military facilities from being used for same-sex marriages or marriage-like ceremonies.


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The FBI says a man has been arrested at a Michigan movie theater wearing body armor and carrying a gun.
Cassidy Delavergne wasn't charged with crimes related to the armor, the gun or 34 rounds of ammunition. But he was charged yesterday with possessing a phony Central Intelligence Agency identification card.
FBI spokesman Simon Shaykhet says police were called to the Trillium Theater in Grand Blanc Township near Flint on Tuesday night after someone noticed the vest and gun.
Delavergne was watching a movie when police arrived.
Shaykhet declined to say whether agents believe Delavergne planned to use his handgun.
A court filing says Delavergne told an agent he displayed the phony ID to minimize concerns about his gun. Delavergne claimed to have a concealed weapon permit.
This article originally appeared on NEWS.COM.AU.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Your tablet deserves a MagSmart Cover! Tough, durable and lightweight all-round protection Multi-position folding cover for comfortable typing or viewing All ports and connectors accessible Transparent back showcases tablet Shop Modal header Great Looks Add a personal touch to your tablet with the stunning MagSmart Cover —this smart but tough case protects your tablet without hiding its great looks. Magnet Dots The chic cover design makes it the perfect accessory for the style-conscious, while the transparent back with its ultra-cool dots showcases your beautiful tablet while protecting it from everyday knocks and scratches. Smart Design The cover has a soft interior that gently cushions the screen, making sure it stays in perfect condition. Dual-mode Stand MagSmart Cover is not just good to look at, it's totally practical too —the clever folding cover can be instantly positioned for comfortable typing, or as an adjustable stand for using the tablet as a photo frame or video viewer. Typing stand Video watching stand Your tablet deserves a MagSmart Cover! Made from durable, ultra-light materials that feel wonderful to the touch, MagSmart Cover adds hardly any weight or bulk to your tablet. All the ports and connectors remain accessible, making MagSmart Cover feel like an integral part of the tablet rather than just an afterthought.


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Rent to Own Store
How It Works
The silver Nikon Df DSLR Camera revolves around a unique manual and mechanical design that champions a simple and intuitive method of working, while still retaining the highest imaging quality and functionality available.
The silver Nikon Df DSLR Camera revolves around a unique manual and mechanical design that champions a simple and intuitive method of working, while still retaining the highest imaging quality and functionality available. Featuring a full-frame, FX-format 16.2MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3 image processor, the Df is capable of producing high-resolution, well-detailed still imagery with exceptional color rendition, tonal gradation, and highlight and shadow detail. A notable low-light sensitivity range of ISO 100-12800 can be further expanded to ISO 50-204800 for challenging lighting conditions and a top continuous shooting rate of 5.5 fps aids in working with fast-moving subject matter.
The manually-configurable design of the Df blends a timeless control scheme with contemporary precision to enable simple and direct handling of all exposure features of the camera. Utilizing dedicated shutter speed, exposure compensation, ISO sensitivity, exposure mode, and release mode dials, efficient control is possible without needing to delve into a complex menu structure. For viewing, both an optical glass pentaprism viewfinder and 3.2" 921k-dot LCD monitor are housed within the magnesium alloy body design. When using the LCD for live view shooting, the image can be magnified up to 19x for critical focus and a fast contrast-detection focusing method is used. Both a hot shoe and flash sync terminal are integrated into the body's design, too, as well as a unique mount system that employs a metering coupling lever to enable the use of both AI and non-AI lenses for extensive support of NIKKOR lenses from the past and present.
When working with the optical viewfinder, the Multi-CAM 4800 AF system is used and employs 39 points about the frame, with nine cross-type points for added accuracy when photographing in more difficult light. Seven centrally-located sensors are also compatible with f/8 or faster lenses, which greatly enhances the autofocus performance when working with longer, telephoto lenses used in combination with teleconverters.
Accurate exposure metering is done using a 2,016-pixel RGB sensor and Nikon's Scene Recognition System, which automatically analyzes all aspects within a scene, including brightness, contrast, and color, and compares these values to an on-board database in order to determine an appropriate exposure value that is consistent from image to image. White balance, autofocus, and i-TTL flash metering also use this system and, additionally, the Spot White Balance feature can be used in live view for pin-point selection of a white area within the scene to deliver true color balance. Built-in HDR and Active D-Lighting can be used to extend the apparent dynamic range of a scene and Picture Control settings can be applied to refine the overall look and feel of colors and contrast in-camera.
|Lens Mount
|Nikon F
|Camera Format
|Full-Frame (1.0x Crop Factor)
|Actual: 16.6 Megapixel
Effective: 16.2 Megapixel
|Max Resolution
|4928 x 3280
|Aspect Ratio
|Sensor Type / Size
|CMOS, 36 x 23.9 mm
|File Formats
|Still Images: JPEG, RAW, TIFF
|Dust Reduction System
|Memory Card Type
|Focus Control
|Focus Type
|Auto & Manual
|Focus Mode
|Continuous-servo AF (C), Focus Lock AF Area Mode, Full-time Servo (F), Manual Focus (M), Single-servo AF (S)
|Autofocus Points
|Phase Detection:39
|Viewfinder Type
|Viewfinder Coverage
|Viewfinder Magnification
|Approx. 0.7x
|Diopter Adjustment
|- 3 to +1 m
|Display Screen
|3.2" Rear Screen LCD (921,000)
|Screen Coverage
|Diagonal Angle of View
|Exposure Control
|ISO Sensitivity
|100-12800 (Extended Mode: 50-204800)
|Type: Electronic & Mechanical
Speed: 30 - 1/4000 second
|Mirror Lock-Up
|Metering Method
|3D Color Matrix Metering, Center-weighted average metering, Matrix, Spot metering
|Exposure Modes
|Modes: Aperture Priority, Manual, Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority
Metering Range: EV 0.0 - EV 20.0
Compensation: -3 EV to +3 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
|White Balance Modes
|Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Direct Sunlight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Preset Manual, Shade
|Flash Modes
|1st Curtain Sync
Hi-Speed Sync
Rear Curtain/Slow Sync
Rear Sync
Red-eye Reduction
Slow Sync
Slow Sync/Red-eye Reduction
|Built-in Flash
|Max Sync Speed
|1 / 200 seconds
|Flash Compensation
|-3 EV to +1 EV (in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps)
|Dedicated Flash System
|External Flash Connection
|Hot Shoe, PC Terminal
|Continuous Shooting
|Up to 5.5 fps
|Self Timer
|2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds
Number of Shots: 1-9
|HDMI C (Mini), USB 2.0, X-Sync Socket
|Wi-Fi Capable
|Yes (with Optional Transmitter)
|1x EN-EL14a Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack
|AC Power Adapter
|EH-5b (Optional)
|Operating/Storage Temperature
32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C)
Humidity: 0 - 85%
|Dimensions (WxHxD)
|5.6 x 4.3 x 2.6" / 143.5 x 110.0 x 66.5 mm
|1.56 lb / 710 g camera body only
|Packaging Info
|Package Weight
|4.1 lb
|Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
|10.1 x 7.2 x 4.9"


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Consumer Alert
Be Wary of Pre-Recorded Telephone Messages
Offering to Reduce Your Credit Card Debt
The Consumer Protection Unit of the Alaska Attorney General's Office has become aware of a company or companies that are leaving pre-recorded messages on the answering machines of consumers in Alaska. The messages tell consumers that they can reduce their credit card debt or consolidate their credit card balances and become debt free. Some of the messages indicate that the business involved is a nonprofit entity. The messages ask the consumer to call a toll free number for more information.
Consumers should be aware that these calls may violate Alaska's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act. With certain exceptions, it is a violation of this law for telemarketers to use automated or recorded messages as a telephonic advertisement or solicitation.
Also, consumers should be careful about any unsolicited offers to consolidate debts. For consumers who are experiencing financial difficulties because of debts from credit card use, medical bills, store charge accounts, or other reasons, offers to reduce monthly payments may seem like a solution to their problems. But consumers should be wary of quick-fix solutions for credit problems.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently sued a Florida-based telemarketer alleging that it used false and misleading information to lure consumers into purchasing the services of a credit counseling agency. In a press release about the lawsuit, the Massachusetts Attorney General stated, "This firm made more than one million pre-recorded phone calls around the state promising help with credit card debt. But those messages never said anything about the hidden up-front fees and monthly charges. Consumers who thought they were signing up for non-profit credit counseling services were actually paying money for a for-profit telemarketer."
If you need help solving your financial problems, every state has non-profit organizations that counsel and educate consumers on debt issues, budgeting, and using credit wisely. If you want to work with a credit counselor to consolidate your debts, do some research first. Any reputable credit counseling agency should send you free information about itself and its services, and you should not be required to first give details about your financial situation. You should ask about all fees or costs involved. If the plan requires you to pay an up-front fee or a monthly administrative fee, be sure to understand the purpose of these charges.
If you feel that you have been a victim of illegal telemarketing, have been misled about debt consolidation services, or have been a victim of other types of unfair or deceptive acts or practice, we encourage you to file a consumer complaint. Go to www.law.alaska.gov/consumer for more information, or call 907-269-5200.
For more information on credit issues, check out the following links:
- Your Rights: Credit Reporting
- Fiscal Fitness: Choosing a Credit Counselor
- Building a Better Credit Record
Consumer Protection Unit
April 2003


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My boyfriend and I wanted to enjoy the first real day of spring in Seattle so we went to the Woodland Park Zoo where the white wolves were enjoying the sun too. Shot with a Nikon D80 and Nikkor 55-200mm. f/5.6 1/500 sec. - Allison Koseki
Been curious about attempting to compose HDR photos for a bit now. Saw this challenge, immediatly thought about the yellow flowers we had at home. Set the flowers by the glass back door and setup my Canon Reble xT (yes i know i'm due for an upgrade) with a Sigma telephoto lens that also does macro (first time trying that out too btw). Set the aperture to max to get as much in focus, set AEB to go 2 full stops and fired away. Used luminance HDR (open source HDR tool) for the first time and took a while to figure it out. Not entirely sure this is what i had in mind when i started out, but i really like cartoon/painting feel... - Anand Choundappan
I was heading out for a date and I was walking to my car I noticed how cool all the plants looked in the yard with the drizzle that was still falling. I went back inside and got my camera and started taking pictures. I ended up being late for the date and had water spots on my knees that I hadn't noticed. I really enjoy the simplicity of colors in this plant (whatever it is called). They also make me think of another world because of how the pollen things grow. Obviously I'm not up on plant lingo. What I can tell you is that I was using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 set on the RAW format and then tweaked with the wonderful beta version of Photoshop CS6. - Andrew Lindblom
On a visit to a sea side resort for brunch, was the hotel's poolside with a mildly flowing water fountain surrounded by natural new born greens. It was the perfect scene to represent the onset of a new season; Spring! Camera: NIKON D300S Lens: Nikkor 18-200 VRII Focal Length: 95mm Shutter Speed: 15 sec Aperture: f/36 ISO/Film: 200 - Arsh Sayed
I call this "Deadly Spring". Was out shooting with a friend, when I suddenly found a nice flower with an insect on it. Took some shots, even marveled at how still the moth / butterfly / whatever was. It was later in the day, though, when processing the images I had taken, that I found out why the insect was so still: it was being attacked by an alien spider! The wonders of macro photography, huh? Picture taken with a Canon T2i (550D), with a Sigma 70-300 mm 4-5.6 DG Macro, at ISO 320, f/5.0, 1/400. - Arturo Goga
Spring is a great time to get out and enjoy the local parks in Greenville, SC, before the suffocating heat and humidity of summer move in. Falls Park (FallsPark.com) is the centerpiece of our revitalized downtown. I headed to the park looking for a nice colorful Spring shot. Instead, I wound up in my favorite part of the park. Spring Falls Garden sits in a shady corner at the back of Falls Park. These stone steps lead down from the roadway into the garden area. Taken with Sony SLT-A35, Sigma 18-250mm lens at 24mm, f/4, ISO 100. Minor tweaking and then sized in Photoshop. - Bennett Sansbury
Wandering the streets of Philadelphia capturing a variety of trees and flowers I was struggling to find spring on a gloomy afternoon. However when I came across this cherry tree it immediately grabbed my attention. In one branch you have every stage of flower, from bud to full bloom, and it seemed perfect to represent the growth you see in spring! Taken on a Canon T3, 18-55mm lens, 1/50 sec shutter at f/16, ISO 800. Some level adjustment in Lightroom. - Ben Schwartzbach
This photo was from a practice session working on exposure in an effort to freeze a hummingbird's wings. I'm fortunate that about three or four hummingbirds feed on the aloe vera plants in our yard and so I usually don't have to wait long for them to appear. This shot seemed just about right with its full profile, sun on it's back, and beak slightly parted. The shot was taken with a Canon 5D Mk II, 70-200 F4 IS w/ a 1.4 extender, fully extended to 280mm, F6.3 @ 1/640. - Brad Corrion
Shot with my iPhone 4S and an Olloclip wide angle lens. My wife was shopping and I was bored so I went outside to have a cigarette. These trees were blossoming all around me and there was fresh snow on the ground from a morning storm. Location was Traverse City, MI - Brian Hayes
In a year where we didn't see much of Winter in the northeast, it seemed fitting that this Spring scene almost presents an illusion of a Winter-scape. It was a warm but overcast walk through the city Commons and I spent a lot of time shooting birds in the city fountains. This shot ended up capturing a deeper perspective of Winter into Spring for me. Canon 7D with EF 24-105 lens at f9 for 1/5 sec and 100 ISO. - Brian Jones
When I saw the shooting challenge my first thought was cherry blossoms. My daughter and I were headed to DC on Saturday, so I figured it would be an opportunity. Once in DC reality set in, the day was cool, dreary and not a cherry blossom in site, they were long gone. However, when I arrived home on Sunday, the flowering crab apple trees in my front yard had burst out in bloom and I captured this image with my Nikon D3100, F stop was 5.6 at 1/125 iso 360 and a 18-55mm Nikon lens zoomed to 55mm. I just loved the deep colors of the blooms. The windy day made this shot very challenging, every time I tried to snap a shot the wind would blow, blurring the image. - Brian McMillen
Shot it at my place. The sprinkler combined with the sun created a mini rainbow giving a nice effect. I was actually trying to shoot a different subject but the camera focused on the water droplets and it turned into a great picture. Shot with a Canon 500D 28-135mm 1/500, f/5 and ISO 100. - Caio Arantes
To a lot of people, spring means the change of seasons - flowers blooming, the reemergence of certain animal life, etc. but I live in Los Angeles where we have a bi-seasonal weather pattern and "spring" means the start of a new baseball season and recreational softball leagues around town. Here then, is a shot of what represents spring to me, and just so that I don't lose any of that "new beginning" metaphor stuff, the glove and ball are shot with a sunrise through partially closed blinds. Shot this with a pentax k20d/pentax smc FA 50mm lens @ f13, 1/125, iso200 - Carlos Navarro
Your observation that Spring hasn't arrived everywhere, is especially apt when applied to Gloucester MA... Although it's gotten above 40 degrees a few times... if you look around you'd think it's still mid February. The prevailing Color is Bleak... Bleak is not on your standard Color Charts, but it should be. So, this Image best illustrates Spring ( at the moment ) in Gloucester. I recently heard that some green was spotted several Hundred Miles South of here... But that I fear is just a rumor... I used my Canon 60D and the picture was shot at... f/4... 1/400 sec... ISO was set to 100. Hand held. No Flash. The lens was a Tokina 100 mm Macro 2.8 D. - Charlie Carroll
These flowers in my backyard suddenly appeared over night, and my cats have decided to nap underneath them. I managed to sneak out and take this picture without Mono (as in Spanish for 'monkey') thinking he did something wrong by hanging out near the flowers. I took this picture with my new toy, a Canon 5D Mark III and a 24-70mm L at 64mm & F/2.8. No, it wasn't nighttime, but as you can see the camera works just as well at ISO 100 in broad daylight (and thank goodness for that)! This is my first shooting challenge photo. Tech details: Canon EOS 5D Mark III F/2.8 1/1000 sec. exposure ISO - 100 64mm focal length no flash. aperture priority. Converted the RAW with Camera Raw 6.7. - Charlie Szymanski
We just moved into a new house that has been vacant for more than 2 years. These vines had grown up and into the screen on the window in one of our rooms and I saw these Eastern Lubber Nymphs (baby grasshoppers) sitting on them. We just got our first "storm" of the Florida spring season and it made for a nice combo with the grasshoppers and water drops on the leaves. Unfortunately all I had available was my phone's camera so while my mac and cheese was cooking, I snapped some shots. Camera was from my Samsung Charge, Macro mode, 2mp, f/2.7, ISO 40, 4.0 mm and flash. - Chris Ayres
Here is my submission for the Spring Shooting Challenge! I took this photo in the garden today because I was testing a lens I borrowed (70-200mm). You can see flowers from a young peach tree. The strong pink-tint on the bottom-right part is caused by another flower which was very close to the lens. In the back you see the yellow flowers of a laburnum bush! Tools: Canon 5D Mk II Canon EF 70-200mm f4 ISO: 3200 Focal: 200mm Aperture: f/4,0 Shutter: 1/200 sec - Christoph Welkovits
This is my first Gizmodo Shooting Challenge. My fiance, who has done a couple, convinced me to try one. I wanted to find a flower that was about to bloom and I found this one, which already had one petal out. I had two other shots that I really liked and I had a hard time picking. I selected this one and I hope it was the right pick! I shot this with a Nikon D3100. The lens was an AF-S Micro Nikkor 40 mm 1:2.8G. f/8, ISO 400, exposure time 1/125 sec. - Dalila Fernandez
Taken with my Olympus E-P1 with Panasonic 14mm. Shot wide open at f/2.5 to achieve the milky blossoms while keeping the pole sharp. ISO 100 at 1/2500 sec. So tomorrow (April 1st) is the start of the Cherry Blossom viewing festival in Janhae here in South Korea but in order to beat the crowds, my friends and I decided to head over the day before. Unfortunately the blossoms appear to be blooming late this year so there was no sign of Spring in the town. Then we cam across one magnificent tree climbing up the telegraph pole that had decided to be like us: a pioneer! I snapped a few shots with a few different lenses but ended up liking this one the best. - Daniel Lloyd
This photo is from the desert land of Kuwait. A decade or so back, it was hard to see any greenery in Kuwait. The government has spent considerable money to add some greenery in the country scape. Good quality soil has been imported, trees and plants have been planted and artificially irrigated through underground water pipes stretching along the arterial roads and parks. The government also employs workers to tend the trees and plants. So now during spring, we do get to see some wild flowers blooming in the wild.
I went for this photo-session to one of those arterial roads where on both sides you can find long stretches of evergreen trees. However, this photo is from a bunch of wild flower plants that have grown on their own (perhaps out of some seeds carried in the imported soil) and have germinated due to the shade and water received from the watering pipelines.
To get a good point of view I took this photo lying partly on my back (as the plants were hardly a foot tall) by the side of the patch of wild flowers growing in between the evergreen trees on a sunny afternoon.
I used a Canon EOS 350D (also known as Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT) with a Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 SP Di macro. To have a full control on my point of focus, I used manual focus. The photo was shot with shutter priority at a shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second at ISO 100 to compensate for the hard mid day sunlight and for the hand-shake (when shooting as so close range) and to keep the noise level at minimum. It was captured at an aperture of f2.8 which gave it a very shallow dept of field. Among the shots that I took I chose the photo of a bud due to several reasons. A flower bud signifies the start of Spring. The shape of the bud in this photo resembles the folded hands holding out to the almighty. The single partial yellow petal peeping out of the bud really appealed to me. The color contrast and mix seemed excellent. The shade of the evergreen trees offered a lovely blurred dark contrast backdrop. I also liked the curved scales holding the bud. The play of light and shade in this photo delighted me. A few plant-hairs sticking out of the bud added further to its beauty.The photo has not been edited in any manner. - Debashis Basu
I always say shooting flowers is a bit of a cheat: They're colorful, symmetrical, and the camera even has a pre-set mode for them! —But, since Spring = "flowers", "allergies" or "rain", I thought this was fair. Canon T2i, 100mm, f/2.8, ISO 2500 - Diego Jimenez
I originally was trying to get a shot of this plant in my front yard unfurling it's new leafs, but it just wasn't working out. Then I saw this little guy hanging out on the end of one of those leafs. He sums up "spring" to me in the worst way. At just over an inch long, the nymph stage of the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/lubber.htm) may look cute, but it's nothing but pure evil. When they are full grown, they can reach 6 inches in length and swarms of them will overrun your yard, eating most everything in sight. As adults, they are virtually immune to most insecticides. They hiss and "secrete a foamy spray" that is mildly toxic. At the start of each spring, I am forced to hunt down the nymphs to eradicate as many as possible so that my plants stand a chance of surviving the ravenous onslaught of the full grown ones throughout the summer. As much as I loath them, this one was being very photogenic today. As soon as I took his picture, he met his end via bug spray. Nikon D3100, 1/60 sec, f/16, ISO 200, Focal Length 55mm - Gabe Loewenberg
Low perspective shot taken on a sunny day. Photo of a small group of flowers on our small apple tree. As we did not have any rain for many months, our small apple tree grow only these small group of flowers. I like it because of the wonderful blue sky, simple subject and a nice deapth of field. Nikon D70s Nikkor DX/AF 10.5mm f/2.8G ED shot at 200iso 2.8 - Goran Brecelj
thanks for the challenge in finding a symbol of Spring! We have one yellow Tulip in our garden that always sprouts at the first sign of warmer temperatures here in Milton, Ontario, Canada. For us it's the sign that Spring is here. Today the rains came and the colder temperatures came back. The Tulip that was in full bloom the day before was closed all day as a result. This became an opportunity to show what is another symbol of Spring. Spring showers. Camera: Canon 7D Lens: Canon 100mm f2.8 Exposure: 1/160 Aperture: F8 ISO: 500 - Graham Kingma
I found this plant on the ground and must have passed it quite a few times looking for other subjects to photograph. Once the lighting was right however it stopped me in my tracks and really showed some neat patterns back-lit by the sun. I got down low and filled the frame during the golden hours to get this shot. I used extension tubes to allow me to get in close which worked very well after adjusting zoom/manual focus correctly. In photoshop I cropped, adjusted levels, and applied high pass filter for clarity (was RAW). Canon t2i with kit lens and extension tubes, 1/50sec, ISO 100, aperture ~4.0 - Jared Grayden
I finally got my lazy self together enough to attempt this challenge. I didn't want to just take a picture of a flower, but when I while walking to my car, thinking about where to go, I noticed how the tree in our front yard had bloomed. With the sun shining right through it, it looked really nice. I tried getting more interesting pictures, but the bees that I found just refused to sit in the golden hour light. Gray pictures of bees are not interesting. After a few hours of looking for something better, this, the very first picture I took for this challenge, ended up being the one I liked best. I did a little tonemapping to gold and green it up. Taken with my Canon T3i, 135mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 100. - Jason Pyles


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Don't look now, but that robot might be tailing you.
Following someone for any length of time has been a huge challenge for robots, notwithstanding WALL-E, R2-D2 and other clever movie versions. But by incorporating subtle behavioral cues that humans use to indicate where they're going, a team of researchers at the University of California at Davis hopes to close the artificial intelligence gap with a system that helps robots easily respond to directional signals.
"The fundamental problem we were trying to look into is how to get a robot to follow people around, in buildings or in work environments, or possibly trying to get robots to follow other robots around," said Sanjay Joshi, an associate professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering at the University of California at Davis. With an accurate system in hand, robots could be programmed to trail doctors on their rounds, construction workers to a building site or senior citizens requiring special assistance.
Traditional following programs have relied on two techniques to guide the internal controllers of robots: one based on physics and another on images.
The physics model, Joshi said, uses the leader's speed and direction to calculate where it is headed and then directs the follower to move to that spot. "You want to take the robot to where the leader will be in the future, time and time again, and that allows it to track the leader," he said.
For the second technique, the follower periodically looks to see where the leader is and then heads to the position depicted in that image.
The physics model often cannot account for sudden blind turns, however, and the imaging model struggles once the leader leaves the field of view.
Developing a 'sixth sense'
Humans, on the other hand, have learned to pick up on telling body language, like the well-established observation that people tend to turn their heads slightly to the left or right just before heading off in that direction.
The trick for Joshi's team has been working out a system that allows robots to identify and use as many of those conscious and unconscious behavioral cues as possible. "We really were trying to understand how much of the behavior cues add to the accuracy and reliability of the following," he said.
Eventually, Joshi said, physiologists and psychologists could collaborate with computer scientists and engineers to teach robots how to automatically identify the facial or body movements or physiological reactions that come naturally to us.
"It's building up a sixth sense about movement," he said.
If someone is driving down a highway and sees a car moving aggressively behind her, for example, she can often sense from its movements whether it will attempt to pass or cut in front of her. That "sixth sense" is shaped by a wealth of experience observing how other drivers behave.
"The question is, how do we get robots to use that?" Joshi said.
Before answering that question, though, researchers have had to address the underlying problem of how to get robots to reliably identify and respond to basic cues.
"You have to make the computer identify the pattern of images to know, 'This is a head turn,' and then use the identification of that head turn in your controller," Joshi said. And that problem can be further divided into the question of identifying a cue versus properly responding to it.
Identifying cues
For the new study, published in the August issue of the journal IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Joshi's group used two commercially available Scorpion robots, manufactured by Pasadena, Calif.-based Evolution Robotics, to focus on the question of cue response.
The team, including graduate student Michael Chueh, and undergraduates William Au Yeung and Calvin Lei, programmed the lead robot to always follow a specific trajectory, moving in a wavy pattern down the hallway or taking a sudden, sharp turn. The second Scorpion trailed at a distance of about three yards, with a camera trained on a target attached to the lead robot's back.
In one series of trials, the follower robot relied solely on an image-based controller to keep up with the leader. In a second, the physics-based system supplemented the imaging program. And in a third, the cue-based model joined the other two.
The study bypassed the problem of how to identify cues for turning left or right by using a human observer as a messenger in the third series of trials. Whenever the lead Scorpion approached a corner, the human observer wirelessly sent the follower a message that essentially said, "The leader just made a cue. Now it's up to you, follower, to use that information."
As Joshi explained, "Once you give that cue, the complication is not in accepting that cue, it's in using the cue to extrapolate where the leader will be in the future. The cue is just the beginning of the whole process."
The idea, he said, was for the recognition of a cue to trigger the cue-modeling program and combine its prediction of the leader's trajectory with the other two following programs to chart the best course.
"The results were that basically if you are following a leader who always stays in your field of view, it's good enough to just use image-based following," Joshi said. "Once that leader leaves your field of view, that's when our behavioral cue model really shows its value."
Robots that used the behavioral information in their decision-making, in fact, did much better at following the leader around corners.
But what if the three techniques contradict each other and instruct the follower to go in different directions? Joshi said the information can be combined through an informational filter that weighs each of the techniques in real time and decides how much to trust each of them based on the current conditions and movements of the leader.
"As you gain experience to how believable that behavioral cue really is, you'll update your filter," he said. "If you had a specific human who was always turning his head but didn't really turn, the filter will be updated so you will not trust that cue anymore. On the other hand you may find other cues that are always more reliable."
When robots rule the roads
As for specific cues, Joshi said he's been looking mainly at the slight movements of the head that people make just before turning to the left or right, though other cues might include a person's state of alertness or stress. Someone who is frantically moving about may be more likely to make sudden turns. On the other hand, a person wheeling a giant bed around a hallway is more likely to make larger, gradual turns, he said.
Some cues, of course, are intentional, like the turn signals used by a driver before switching lanes or turning onto a side street. Joshi noted that some drivers prolong their signals to alert a caravan behind them to upcoming turns. One robot following another could be programmed to pick up on similar signaling cues.
"The bottom line, take-home message from our work is that it looks like behavioral cues do have potential with the robot-following problem," Joshi said. "We think that if we can embed these cues in control systems, we can make following more reliable."
Fernando De la Torre, co-director of the Human Sensing Lab at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, agreed that the research question is an intriguing one. But he cautioned that a follow-the-leader system based on modest behavioral cues like head tilts, or a change in where the leader is looking, would require a high level of sophistication to cut through all of the background noise. "Can you pick up something subtle like a change in the gaze direction of only 15 degrees?" he asked.
Perhaps, he said, it would suffice if a programmer used an accurate image-recognition program to pick up on image-based cues, whether those cues are from the direction of the gaze or position of the feet. Following someone from behind obviously complicates any system based on tracking eye movement, but biometric elements, such as picking out the leader's distinctive gait or clothes, could also help a follower keep tabs on a specific target.
De la Torre also pointed out that with both a human and robot in motion, the robot's camera may be unstable and negatively impact its vision. Alternatively, cameras mounted at regular intervals along a hallway may be a better tracking aid for robots.
For robots following other robots, though, De la Torre said he believed the cue-based system might work well, especially if installed in autonomous vehicles.
Such a system would need to control for unexpected behavior: If a lead vehicle suddenly leaves the follower's field of vision, the follower would need to figure out whether it should similarly strike out on a new path or continue along its normal route. A wrong decision, after all, could lead an autonomous vehicle into becoming little more than a high-tech lemming.
© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints


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I have a Debian box with this in /etc/network/interfaces:
auto eth0
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
wpa-ssid NetworkName
wpa-psk NetworkPass
and this in /etc/resolv.conf (presumably this stuff gets pulled from my Cisco router automatically?)
domain cable.myisp.com
search cable.myisp.com
nameserver isp_nameserver_ip1
nameserver isp_nameserver_ip2
I'd like to use OpenDNS (or Norton Secure DNS, basically just some other DNS server), so can I just remove the first two lines from /etc/resolv.conf and update the last two with new nameserver IP addresses? Is there anything else I'd need to do?
I can change the settings on my router easy enough but is it possible to do this within the OS?


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Vetting of High Rollers
by Christine Duhaime, BA, JD, Certified Financial Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Law Specialist
According to Reuters, FinCEN is amending anti-money laundering (AML) policies to require that casinos ascertain source of funds for large cash or wire deposits, or large bets in the United States. Before such a move takes place, FinCEN would submit the proposed rule for comment by the industry.
Any commentary that opposed the change, however, is unlikely to be considered seriously because source of funds vertification already exists for politically exposed persons in AML law in most countries, including in the US. It is also routinely done for immigration purposes in many countries with investor immigration programs that encourage immigration from Asia. Such a rule would not be any more burdensome or expensive in terms of compliance for casinos, than it is for other sectors that report to FinCEN.
When such a rule is implemented, however,it will negativey impact the appeal of gambling in the US by Asian tourists who, as a matter of culture, will be reluctant to disclose personal information to any casino operator, particularly financial information and particularly in the gaming environment when such information will be provided to gambling regulators and FinCEN.


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§171. Forfeitures and seizures of guns, traps, teams, etc.
All guns, traps, teams, horses, or means of transportation of every nature or description, used by any person or persons within said park limits when engaged in killing, trapping, ensnaring, or capturing such wild beasts, birds, or wild animals shall be forfeited to the United States and may be seized by the officers in said park and held pending the prosecution of any person or persons arrested under charge of violating the provisions of this Act, and upon conviction under this Act of such person or persons using said guns, traps, teams, horses, or other means of transportation, such forfeiture shall be adjudicated as a penalty in addition to the other punishment provided under this Act. Such forfeited property shall be disposed of and accounted for by and under the authority of the Secretary of the Interior.
(Aug. 22, 1914, ch. 264, §5,
References in Text
This Act, referred to in text, is act Aug. 22, 1914, which is classified to sections 163 and 168 to 177 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.


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Top 4 Reasons to Return to Tufts
April 6, 2011
by Pamela Katz Ressler, RN, BSN, HN-BC, MS-PREP candidate, PREP-AIRED moderator and administrator, Tufts University School of Medicine
The Pain Research, Education and Policy Program(PREP) is the first and only multidisciplinary university-based pain curriculum program in the nation. There are numerous reasons to become part of the PREP program: small class sizes, diverse student backgrounds, and expert faculty are a few of the unique qualities of the program. What also sets the PREP program apart is the continued connection with PREP alumni, who are are welcomed and encouraged to remain an integral part of the PREP program.
Here are 4 top reasons for PREP Alumni to return to Tufts:
#4 Meet world renowned speakers and authors:
Please join us to hear two prominent pain experts lecturing in April. Melanie Thernstrom will be speaking about her acclaimed book, The Pain Chronicles on April 12, 2011 at 4pm in the Wolff Auditorium at Tufts Medical Center.
Dr. Rollin (Mac) Gallagher of the University of Pennsylvania and the VA Administration will describe recent efforts to alleviate pain and suffering beginning in the battlefield and extending through rehabilitation. He will be speaking in the Wolff Auditorium at Tufts Medical Center at 4pm. The date of his lecture is April 21, 2011.
#3 Network with New Alumni
Come and hear our graduating MS student capstone presentations on Monday, May 2 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in Conference Room 1, M&V Building. We would love your support and networking with our hard-working graduates.
#2 Enroll in a Tufts course and save 75%
Did you know that all alumni from the Public Health and Professional Degree programs are able to enroll in a maximum of three courses in PHPD (one per year) at a 75% savings??? Yes, you can take that elective that you always wanted to and spend only 25% on that course! Contact Lauren Budd, Assistant Registrar at email@example.com for more information.
#1 Expand your world by connecting with PREP's social media sites
In addition to PREP-AIRED, the PREP program's widely read blog, the PREP program now has its own Facebook page. Join the community of current students, policy makers, leaders in the pain conversation and alumni by "liking" our page. Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/PREP-Pain-Research-Education-and-Policy-Graduate-Program-Tufts/198047410219415
What are your top reasons for returning to Tufts?
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: Alumni, Chronic Pain, Dr. Rollin Mac Gallagher, Facebook, Melanie Thernstrom, MS-PREP, Pain Chronicles, Pain Education, PREP program, Social Media, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, VA administration, veterans.
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text:
Given any aspect ratio, oval shape, or automatically AutoThumbGen generates a thumbnail based on the input image. In fact, the most prominent part of the input image is recognized and captured by the app with a proper thumbnail size. The source code is in C. The code has been also embedded in Android via JNI and PHP by exec.
Sample photos:
The contributors: Jia Li, Farshid Farhat, James Wang.


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The cosmohotties.com web site (hereinafter referred to as "Site") offers content and services to users who agree upon the following rules and conditions of conduct. Before using the Site, you are required to carefully and thoroughly read and review the following Terms of Use, as well as our Privacy Policy. Both sections serve as "Terms" of using the Site in any way. By using the Site, you are agreeing to abide both by Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.The Site reserves the right to change and modify the Terms at any time and for any reason. To be up to date with all the possible changes in Terms, you are advised to visit this page regularly, as the modified Terms shall be posted in here. Shall the changes be not acceptable for you, you are asked to discontinue using the Site. By continuing to use the services and content provided by the Site following any aforementioned modifications, you hereby agree to the updated Terms. The Site reserves the right to temporarily or permanently changing, modifying or suspending any and all features, services and content of this Site and all web sites connected therein (including but not limited to suspending or terminating your Account) without notice. You hereby agree not to hold the Site liable for any real or potential loss or inconvenience you or a third party
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There shall be no third party beneficiaries to these Terms, unless otherwise stipulated or agreed upon with agents of this Site.
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All of the content of the Site, including but not limited to logos, images, text audio and video files etc., are the sole propriety of the Site and are protected by proprietary rights such as copyrights and trademarks and shall not be copied, modified, duplicated, or circulated in any way without the Site's explicit consent.
The Site has the right to dispose of any materials posted herein by the users in any manner deemed advisable by the Site's agents and affiliates. You grant the Site any rights to materials posted on public areas of the Site.
Copyright and Trademarks:
If you notice any copyright infringement or believe your intellectual property has been in any way violated, e.g. copied, you are encouraged to notify the agents of the Site providing the following information:
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- Your necessary contact data (name, address, telephone number, fax and/or email address);
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In any cases concerning copyright infringement, you can contact us by sending all of the abovementioned information in a message entitled 'Copyright Infringement' to our email address: email@example.com . The users committing copyright infringement or disposing of intellectual property of the others unlawfully may face temporal or permanent blocking or termination of their accounts. In valid cases the Site may be forced to disclose of the information of the said infringer.
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The Site has created rules concerning use, storage and collection of information about you and presented them in Privacy Policy. The Site is allowed to dispose of the collected data in any manner discussed in Privacy Policy. By using the Site in any manner you hereby agree to those rules and conditions.
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The Site may require you to pay fees for ads and any other content posted in appropriate sections of the Site. Users posting in areas that are not free of charge are fully responsible for posted content and shall in no circumstances demand any refunds connected with blockage, removal or modification of content that is not compliant with Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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The Site is exempt from all of the responsibility for any materials posted on the Site by the users. Any of the materials, advice, opinions and information posted by the users are not necessarily those of the agents of the Site and therefore shall not be perceived as such. The users shall be aware of the fact that any of such data posted on the Site is their sole responsibility. Therefore users of the Site hereby acknowledge that any violation of the Terms may result in banning or terminating the account or limiting some functions of the Site for the violator.
You acknowledge the fact that any video, audio, images, text, programs, files and other data (hereinafter referred to as Content) in any way presented on the Site by the users are their sole responsibility and any ramifications resulting therein shall in no manner hold the Site liable. The Site does not examine any of the Content posted by the users prior to its appearance on the Site. The Site reserves the right to remove, modify, relocate, block or edit any data posted by the users, but is not obliged to do so. The Site reserves the right not to give any notice or explanation as to why any such actions have been undertaken. You agree that any contact between you and other users of the Site shall be direct with no intermediaries. In case of not complying with this requirement, the Site shall not be liable for any loss or damages resulting thereto. Agents of the Site have no obligation to mediate, arbitrate or in any other way become involved in any of your dealings, disputes and communication with other users or third parties. You also agree that in any case of contact with other users or third parties, any arising loss or damages shall not be in any way linked to the agents of the Site.
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You hereby agree to hold the Associated Parties harmless and indemnified, as well as not liable and not responsible for all and any claims and demands including but not limited to attorney's fees made by any other users or third parties in connection with your use of the Site, you not obeying the Terms, you violating any applicable laws, regulations and rules set forth by other Associated Parties. This provision applies both to your conduct and the actions of your agents, entities authorized by you and any other third parties using your computer and/or your account. The Site reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you
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Victoria Shopping Centre The Heart of Harrogate Shopping "Victoria Shopping Centre 'The Heart of Harrogate Shopping' Harrogate's premier shopping experience. On 4 levels there are many leading stores offering everything from food to clothing, flowers to picture frames and tapestries..."
Bettys Tea Rooms "Betty's has earned its self a high reputation for cakes and biscuits as well as many different varieties of breads from around the world - and of course a wide range of speciality Teas and Coffees!.."
Roman Baths "After a shower, visit the Steam Room where high humidity, made gently fragrant with cleansing Eucalyptus, opens pores, penetrates the respiratory system and eases tense muscles..."
Valley Gardens, entrance "Valley Gardens includes acres of floral displays leading into beautiful pine woods containing many rhododendron bushes. Model boating lake, paddling pool, playground, tennis courts, pitch and putt, mini golf. Restored sun pavilion and colonnade. Summer band concerts. Open daily - and FREE!.."
Thinking of visiting Harrogate?
Before you book your hotel or make that journey, you need to know where you should stay and what to see and do – and of course, where to avoid!
We are here to help you make those vital decisions, so that you can have the visit that's right for you! Visit our virtual tour and read our personal, unbiased reviews to check out the places of interest and sights to see. Our guide to the town is here to help you to find out all about Harrogate before you pay a single penny to book your hotel or even begin your journey.
Harrogate Shopping
The town is famous for its shopping - this is the place for designer labels and independent, high-end retailers, as well as the usual high street names. There is a well developed café-culture here too, with many cafes having outside seating, offering an opportunity to see and be seen. One of the most famous is Betty's Café in the town centre near Montpellier, which is so popular that it is rare not to have to queue to get in!
Historic Spa Town
Harrogate is an attractive an historic spa town in North Yorkshire. It grew from a small village in the 1500s when a spring at Tewitt Well was discovered to be rich in minerals. It then became a popular destination for the rich and famous of Yorkshire - which continues to this day. Many come to shop or visit the Harrogate Theatre or admire the splendid architecture, such as that of the Victoria Shopping Centre.
With all the conferences and events taking place in Harrogate the town has visitors all the year round.
Looking for the Postcode for Harrogate? Find UK postcodes on a map of Great Britain - enter the UK post code to locate on a UK map: Find a Harrogate post code here.
Harrogate Conferences
Harrogate is a popular venue for conferences, using the vast magnificent hotels in the town, or the International Conference Centre.
Parks and Green Spaces
Many visitors who come to Harrogate love to enjoy the gardens and parks, for instance Valley Gardens, The Stray or take a walk in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside which surrounds this elegant town.


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West Virginia
Falling Waters
Potomac Station Townhomes
Strauss with Garage
Strauss with Garage
LOCATED IN Potomac Station Townhomes
About the Home
The largest of Ryan's Composer Series, the Strauss offers the space and customizing details of single-family living with the convenience of a townhome. On the main living level, you're greeted by an enormous Living Room featuring a large coat closet or a convenient powder room. Across an arched breakfast bar is a generous and airy Country Kitchen with island and sink, perfect for entertaining. A window-lined Morning Room off the Kitchen provides room for dining and is accented with an optional hutch. Up a flight of stairs designed to be elegant and functional, the upper level boasts three bedrooms, two baths, and a full sized 2nd floor laundry with extra shelf space and an optional laundry tub. No need to worry about storage space – generous closets abound in both bedrooms, and the hall bath features its own linen closet. The Owner's Bedroom is a private retreat accented with an optional tray ceiling and featuring an enormous walk-in closet. The Owner's Bath boasts a soaking tub and separate shower with seat. Add the optional dual vanity for the ultimate in convenience. Several lower level floor plans are available depending on community – all feature options for a finished Recreation Room, Study, and Powder Room or Bath. The Strauss offers classic colonial facades
Falling Waters, WV 25419


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15 Creative Door Handles and Innovative Door Handles Designs - Part 2.
Off - Door Handles: An innovative concept that integrates 'Off' into the door handles. It comes with 'Off' installed in door handles with connections to your mains like gas supply and electricity. And you can switch off both or either one of the services by simply rotating the dial and flip it back to activate it all.
LedoorHandles: LedoorHandles comes integrated with removable light; it also doubles up as a fancy light fitting.
Door Stopper Handles: Its simple, functional and clever way to pull down the doorstopper without having to bend over or using your foot. This door handles system integrates the stopping mechanism into the handles itself.
In and Out Door Handles: On the "push" side, there is a flat panel while the handles are on the "pull" side; its designed to get over the need for "Push" and "Pull" stickers.
ORB Door Handles: Designed by M Samoriz for Umbra Design, it comes integrated with light ring; the light up ring indicates the room is in use/occupied.
Grabit Door Handles: Grabit door handles come integrated with fingerprint recognition lock.
Animal Door Handles: These door handles designed by Roohollah Merrikhpour takes its inspiration from animals.
Leverus Door Handles: An interesting concept by Art Lebedev Studio, the elegant Leverus door handles featuring extra length allows you to open the door with a slightest touch or even an elbow.
Wrench Door Handles: Cool door handles that uses the wrenches as handles while its functioning perfectly alright.
Cone Door Handles: Cool door handles come with hollow metal handles that doubles up as a holder for messages.
Kobu Door Handles: Designed by Italian designer Diego Amadei; its flexible stem allows you to modify the shape, creating new uses and functionality with few movements.
Disappearing Door Handles: Theses clever and innovative door handles hides the doorknob when the door is locked
Doorbell Handles: Creative door handles 'Doorclaxon' doubles up as doorbells.
Clip Door Handles: Cool door handles double up as clips that can hold messages.
Puck Pivot: These puck door knobs are crafted from hockey pucks that puts the fun in functional art.
1| 2."
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25 Cool and Creative Rings - Part 2.
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Service Project
Service Project
Saturday, July 28 • 9:00am - 12:00 Noon
Bus departs from the Westin Hotel at 8:40am
We have reached our maximum capacity to serve the food bank.
Registration for the service project is now closed.
Spend three hours sorting food at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina warehouse in Charlotte. This is an excellent opportunity to catch up with colleagues while you work to help others.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina provides a regional distribution warehouse and branches that supply food and grocery items to charitable agencies that assist people in need.


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TCS bags 1000 offshore jobs for British energy giant NPower
Npower, the UK arm of Germany utility RWE, said it will outsource much of its customer service and back office functions to India. TCS will oversee around 1,000 back-office jobs in India.
The roles being outsourced to TCS over the next eight months includes largely administrative activity, such as checking meter readings against customers' bills.
British firm Capita is the front-runner to provide front office customer management and some back-office services from February 2014, for a contract worth around 120 million pounds over seven years. About 540 existing Npower staff will be transferred to the company.
Around 1,460 UK jobs will be cut as part of a major corporate restructuring and outsourcing is aimed at helping Npower cope with peak hour demands. "Today we have set out our proposed vision of how we would improve customer service, calling on the support of leading retail outsourcing partners," said NPower chief executive Paul Massara.
"This restructure is necessary if we are to deliver the levels of service our customers deserve. All calls would still be answered in the UK. We would have the flexibility to keep call waiting times down during busy periods and continue to keep costs down so we can keep bills down," he added.
Npower ranks among the "Big Six" British energy suppliers and had announced an average rate increase of 10.4 per cent in October. The biggest impact of the redundancies will be felt at NPower's offices in Stoke-on-Trent, central England, the closure of which will affect around 550 employees.
"I understand that these changes would be incredibly hard for some of our employees and we'll be doing everything we can to support them over the next few months," Massara said.
Workers union Unison claimed the decision would backfire on the company.
"These so called savings will backfire on the company who have consistently let their customers and staff down by not investing enough in the workforce, technology or in the latest customer service techniques," said a spokesperson.
RWE NPower currently employs around 11,000 people across the UK, with 9,500 in the retail business. RWE has already said it will cut 6,750 jobs across Europe between 2014 and 2016.


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Infragris wrote:Another thing that needs to be implemented: doomstones & runestones. The nature of these stones wasn't really fleshed out during Oblivion, so we should develop their purpose somewhere in the future. For the moment, this claim would be very simple, as the three stones in the Gold Coast (the Lord Stone, the Lady Stone, and the Jode Stone) are all of the same type: "Doomstones".
The claim would consist of upright stones, using the same texture as the surrounding rocks in the landscape, with an red, glowing runealpha texture covering it. In Oblivion, all these stones had the same runes on them, though it might be nice to a different design for Heaven Stonesand Birthsign Stones. Doomstones were supposedly made in the Merethic Era, before or during the rule of the Ayleid. As such, their design is unrelated to any other cultures we currently depict. Surrounding them are stone circles: modest clumps of rocks in the original, though we could expand these to be actual stone circles of the Stonehenge type, since we have the place for it (perhaps with a couple of Colovian barrows in the neighborhood).
There's also another type, the Runestones, which are solitary stones with a green rune pattern. These aren't immediately important, as we have no such stones in the current region. These stones are of a later date, which means we could associate their design with tilesets like the Colovian tombs or the Reman forts.
More inspiration on these stones can be found here, though it should be noted that this source is deliberately incorrect on some points.


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NIJ provides objective and independent knowledge and tools to reduce crime and promote justice. NIJ follows widely accepted scientific processes and procedures to help ensure the validity and integrity of our research. On this page learn about:
- Peer reviewing proposals.
- Identifying and addressing potential conflicts of interest.
- Make datasets available for replication and review.
Proposals Are Peer Reviewed for Relevance and Validity
Proposals received under a solicitation are reviewed by independent peer panels comprising experts from academia, industry, and government organizations, along with practitioners from federal, state and local agencies and professional associations. Once reviewers have completed evaluations, NIJ Program Managers recommend individual proposals to the NIJ Director, who makes final award decisions.
Noncompetitive awards. NIJ funds research, development and evaluation activities to meet the challenges of crime and justice primarily through competitive grant solicitations. The focus of the solicitations varies from year to year based on research priorities and available funding.
To a lesser extent, NIJ funds research, development and evaluation activities through agreements with other federal agencies and they may be noncompetitive in nature.
Applicants, Peer Reviewers and NIJ Staff Must Identify and Address Potential Conflicts of Interest
Applicants. NIJ must be assured of an awardee's ability to identify and to effectively manage any factors that could affect the objectivity and independence of the awardee's work. Research independence and integrity require that awardees ensure that the design, conduct or reporting of research funded by NIJ grants, cooperative agreements or contracts will not be biased by any financial interest on the part of the investigators.
Applications for funding must explain the process and procedures the applicant uses to identify and manage potential financial conflicts of interest. If an applicant believes that there are no potential personal or organizational financial conflicts of interest, the applicant must provide a brief explanation of why that is the case. Where potential organizational financial conflicts of interest exist, the applicant must identify the safeguards in place to address those conflicts of interest.
NIJ Staff. All NIJ staff members involved in a pre-award evaluation process must review NIJ's official guidance on conflicts of interest. Before they begin reviewing applications, NIJ staff must identify every application for which they have a real or potential conflict of interest. If it is discovered there is a conflict, they are not allowed to review or discuss those applications. Conflicts of interest must be explained in writing and reviewed by the staff member's immediate supervisor. The supervisor must ensure that all work pertaining to the review of the application and any management of a subsequent grant award be assigned in ways that mitigate documented conflicts of interest.
Peer Reviewers. Each peer reviewer must sign a conflict of interest form certifying that they have no financial or ethical conflicts of interest. If a reviewer fails to return the form, NIJ will remove the reviewer from the panel.
Final Technical Reports Are Peer Reviewed
Recipients of NIJ funding provide a draft final technical report that describes the project's activities in sufficient detail to permit replication of the design, including a review of relevant literature, detailed description of data collection and analysis procedures, modifications to or problems with the original research design, and findings and conclusions.
The draft final technical report, along with the associated abstract and summary, are peer reviewed, with few exceptions. The recipients must be responsive to peer reviewers' comments and other issues raised in the review and understand that the review process has implications with respect to publication and dissemination decisions made by NIJ. The recipients make appropriate revisions to the final report based on the peer reviewers' comments, comments from NIJ or both.
Recipients also update and deliver any data and associated artifacts (such as specialized programming code, databases and queries, or images generated from the project data) that have changed as a result of any comments.
Datasets Are Made Available for Replication and Review
Recipients of NIJ research funding must submit data resulting from their projects for archiving with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), with some exceptions. The Data Resources Program ensures the preservation, availability and transparency of data collected through NIJ-funded research and evaluation. Making these data available allows researchers to test each other's conclusions — verifying, refining or refuting original findings — and develop and test new conclusions. Learn more about the process for submitting and reviewing datasets.
Data are maintained at the NACJD, which provides online access to machine-readable files, data dictionaries, study abstracts and geographic data. Visit the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data.


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"Health & Wellbeing in Children, Youth, and Adults with Developmental Disabilities: Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders" has pre-Conference Workshops on September 29, 2010, while the main conference is on September 30, October 1, 2010 in Vancouver (Canada).
This conference will provide education and informative updates on psychiatric, behavioural and complex health components specific to individuals with Developmental Disabilities, and showcase best practices in the field. Specifically, the conference will focus on approaches to complex challenging behaviours, contributing medical issues and new developments in medication and behavioral treatment. In addition, the conference will address important health issues including Reflux, Pain, Epilepsy, Dental Management and Sleep. Health problems in common genetic syndromes such as Down and Fragile X will also be addressed.
"Health & Wellbeing in Children, Youth, and Adults with Developmental Disabilities: Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders" objectives are:
* To increase awareness of the interrelatedness of physical and mental health for individuals with Developmental Disabilities
* How to maximize health in order to minimize disability and improve function
* Understanding the fit between the capacity of an individual and the structure and expectations of their environment
* Share knowledge and common experiences with others working in the field
On Thursday, September 30, 2010 7.00 PM – 9:00 PM there will be a Free Public Evening Session about Developmental Disabilities/Autism: Helping Professionals and Caregivers Respond to the Real Needs of This Child/Adult and Their Family
Please visit http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/Developmental_Disabilities.html


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Measuring Your Wall
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Don't for one second think that your wall isn't suitable for a stunning wall mural! At Wallsauce we like to think that anything is possible. See our guide to measuring your wall type below. If you have an unusually shaped wall that isn't listed below, get in touch and we'll help.
Full Standard Walls
Measure the full width of your wall from edge to edge and measure the height of both the right and left sides of your wall. We recommend that you measure both sides as the heights of the two sides can often differ. If one side is shorter than the other, select the greater of the two heights.
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Measure the width and height of the greatest lengths on your wall only, ignoring any slopes. The mural will be supplied as a full rectangle mural and the slope should be cut away during installation.
Walls with doors and/or windows
If there are any obstacles on your wall, simply measure the entire wall as you would for a full standard wall and cut away the obstacle during hanging.
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We recommend that you add an extra 5cm or 2" to the height and width of your mural to accommodate any variations in the height and width. Any excess can be trimmed when you hang your mural.
Check, check and check your measurements again! If you are in any doubt, add a little extra. It's easy to trim your mural.
Ideally, use a tape measure that is long enough to measure the entire wall.
If you don't want to fill your entire wall, you can order a wall mural to cover only part of it. The minimum order size is 2 square metres.
Need Help?
If you have any questions about measuring you wall, just contact us and we will be happy to advise.


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U. S and its international partners called Friday for global sanctions against Bashar Assad's regimeDiplomats press Assad, top Syrian general defects
Asharq Al-Awsat -PARIS, (AP) — The United States and its international partners called Friday for global sanctions against Bashar Assad's regime, seeking to step up the pressure after the defection of a top general dealt a blow to the Syrian leader. Washington urged countries around the world to pressure Russia and China into forcing Assad to leave power.
A Western official told The Associated Press that Syrian Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass had abandoned Assad's regime. Tlass was a member of the elite Republican Guards and a son of a former defense minister. The official wasn't authorized to divulge the information and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Tlass' whereabouts are unclear. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other opposition websites claimed he had fled to Turkey. It is arguably the highest profile departure from the Assad regime in 16 months of brutal government crackdowns and civil war.
In Paris, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined senior officials from about 100 other countries to win wider support for a Syrian transition plan unveiled last week by U.N. mediator Kofi Annan. Joined by America's allies, she called for "real and immediate consequences for non-compliance, including sanctions," against the Assad regime.
But with neither Moscow nor Beijing in attendance, much remained dependent on persuading the two reluctant U.N. veto-wielding powers to force Assad into abiding by a cease-fire and the transition strategy. Clinton urged governments around the world to direct their pressure toward Russia and China, as well.
"What can every nation and group represented here do?" Clinton asked. "I ask you to reach out to Russia and China, and to not only urge but demand that they get off the sidelines and begin to support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people."
"I don't think Russia and China believe they are paying any price at all — nothing at all — for standing up on behalf of the Assad regime," she added. "The only way that will change is if every nation represented here directly and urgently makes it clear that Russia and China will pay a price. Because they are holding up progress, blockading it. That is no longer tolerable."
Frustrated by the difficult international diplomacy, Syria's fractured and frustrated opposition is seeking quick military actions instead.
"We're sick of meetings and deadlines. We want action on the ground," said activist Osama Kayal in the northern city of Khan Sheikhoun, which has been under Syrian army fire for days. He spoke via Skype from a nearby village.
Hassan Hashimi, general secretary of the opposition Syrian National Council, said he hoped to see a "tough stand" by diplomats, and a no-fly zone to prevent military forces "flying over defected soldiers and civilians and bombarding them."
But military intervention is not on the immediate horizon. U.S. officials say they are focusing on economic pressure, and the Obama administration says it won't intervene militarily or provide weapons to the Syrian rebels for what it considers to be an already too-militarized conflict. Any international mandate for military intervention would almost certainly be blocked by Russia and Moscow in the U.N. Security Council.
U.S. officials say a U.N. resolution could be introduced next week, but one that only seeks further economic pressure on Assad's government. Even the chances for that action are unclear, with Russia and China effectively watering down Annan's blueprint for transition at a conference in Geneva last weekend. It granted Assad veto over any interim government candidate he opposes. The opposition gained the same power.
Activists say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the revolt began.
Tlass was probably the most important Sunni figure in Syria's Alawite-dominated regime.
As the son of longtime Defense Minister Mustafa Tlass, the younger Tlass was a member of the Syrian Baath Party aristocracy, part of a privileged class that flourished under the Assad dynasty.
His father and Assad's father, Hafez, had been intimate friends since their days in the Syrian military academy in Homs and became close after they were posted in Cairo in the late 1950s when Egypt and Syria merged into the United Arab Republic — a union that lasted three years. After Hafez Assad rose to power in the early 1970s, Mustafa Tlass became defense minister and the Syrian president's most trusted lieutenant.
When Hafez died of a heart attack in 2000, Tlass helped engineer Bashar's succession to the presidency and guided the inexperienced young doctor. Tlass was the chief figure in a coterie of old regime figures that critics blamed for reining in moves to liberalize the Syrian regime.


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Reg. Price: $169.95
Sale Price: $149.95
White Swan Mah Jongg sets are the highest quality American Mahjong sets available today. This luxurious product was designed by a team of Mah Jong players and advisors, and is crafted to the highest specifications. It is intended for the discerning Mahjongg player that wants to own the best!
The design team incorporated noticeable upgrades from ordinary budget Mah Jongg sets. Most importantly, you will notice the absolutely perfect tiles that are the White Swan trademark. Large and smooth, these tiles feature crisp and clear characters with clearly recognizable red, green, and black colors. Absolute perfection!
And it gets even better. You will also notice that these White Swan American Mah Jongg sets come with modern (all-in-one) tile racks & pushers. These colorful tile racks with built-in pushers require no assembly or disassembly. They are ready for immediate game play and are easily stored in the padded forward compartment of the carrying case at the conclusion of your game.
White Swan Mah Jongg sets come in an array of beautiful, high quality aluminum cases that feature reinforced ergonomic handles, extra strong latches and hinges, as well as beautifully accented corner protectors.
Open the case and discover numerous other upgrades, such as the padded inside lid, perfect for keeping your tiles and other components in place during transport. The tile trays are strong, precisely sized and encased in non-woven fabric, ensuring that your tiles remain clean and organized at all times.
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Usborne Farmyard Tales: Woolly Stops the Train
by Stephen Cartwright (author) (UK edition)
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A merry story full of cuddly pictures and farmyard fun to share. Clever dual-level text lets you read to your grown-ups while they read back to you. Woolly the sheep and her friends have escaped from their field. Now they're blocking the train track. Can Poppy, Sam and Rusty put them on the old steam train and deliver them safely back to the farm?
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8 ways to enjoy the Rockies in fall
8 ways to enjoy the Rockies in fall
Weekend in Grand Valley, CO
With its miles of cattle ranches and fruit orchards, the Grand Valley once had a reputation for being a bit boring. But day-trippers from Denver and Boulder are drifting west to discover a mini Napa-meets-Boulder-meets-Moab.
The trio of towns here—Palisade, Grand Junction, and Fruita—have it all. Vineyard-striped wine country? Check. World-class mountain bike trails? Check. Great food, shopping, and shows? Check, check, check.
And you'll have it to yourself in the fall, plus cooler temps.
Published at


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(844) 617-6410
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Operations Supervisor (3rd Shift) - Chicago, IL
Come discover your direction at Holland! Holland, Inc., is a recognized leader in next-day delivery, quality handling, and on-time performance in the LTL industry.
Holland is hiring Operation Supervisors and our facility in McCook, Illinois
The hours for this shift is 1:30 am to 11:30 am.
- Supervise and coordinate all activities of dockworkers and other support personnel.
- Provide planning, direction and control of all available resources for insuring timely, damage-free, safe loading/unloading of freight on assigned shifts.
- Provide support personnel and dockworker training and performance feedback to ensure that all work is performed according to company approved procedures and standards.
Successful candidates will possess
- High school education or equivalent.
- Knowledge of proper freight handling/loading techniques.
- Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of operations. Strong interpersonal skills to create conditions for cooperation and high standards of performance from subordinates.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Ability to work long hours including weekends and in inclement weather conditions.
- Bachelor's degree in Transportation, Business or equivalent work experience.
- 1-2 years supervisory experience.
- Demonstrated leadership abilities.
- Previous experience with a LTL motor freight carrier with knowledge of hazardous materials and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
- Familiarity with mainframe computers and/or PC applications.
Holland, a part of YRC Worldwide, is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Minorities/Females/Persons with Disabilities/Protected Veterans
With nearly 90 years' experience, Holland knows how to take care of our customers while providing a solid work environment for our employees. Discipline to its core values of Hard Work, Integrity, Respect, Excellence and Safety has allowed Holland to grow into a company with over 8,000 employees and more than $1 Billion in annual revenue, while being honored as a Quest for Quality award winner for 30 consecutive years! With a track record of long term employees, Holland offers more than a job, we offer the opportunity for a career. Come discover your direction with Holland and join the recognized leader of next-day delivery in the less-than-truckload industry!